Open Science Arena: Research Ethics and Integrity

The Open Science and Research initiative by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture is organizing an arena on research ethics and research integrity in the sphere of open science.

This arena is a first in a series of thematic events that aim at engaging the Finnish research community across all fields and disciplines into discussion about the opportunities and challenges relating to open science. The arenas focus on concrete and practical issues that could be solved in the context of the Open Science and Research initiative.

The Open Science and Research Initiative Arena on research ethics & integrity plays out in two phases:

1) Web discussion 17.4 – 15.5.2015

The Open Science and Research initiative invites all to voice their thoughts, hopes, fears and visions concerning research ethics and integrity in the sphere of open science. This can be done either via social media (Twitter by using the hashtag #ATTareena, Facebook) or by sending an e-mail to the address avointiede@postit.csc.fi. The input can be either in Finnish, Swedish or English.

Here are some examples of possible questions (the list is in no way conclusive):

Do the guidelines given by the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity respond sufficiently to the challenges posed by open science?

How to recognise and respond to predatory journals and "open washing"?

How to give due credit to contributors in an open research process?

What if openly published research / data needs to be retracted?

How to do ethical pre-evaluation in an open research process?

How to properly voice liabilities in open research process?

How to handle negative and aggressive discussions and reactions that a politically charged research could give rise to during an open research process?

Is it okay to use data from another country with more permissive regulation that you couldn't produce in your own country because of stricter rules, f. e. for the purposes of medical research?

Some of the questions and feedback will be used to create the contents of openscience.fi and all of it will be incorporated into the discussion at the hearing event on 20 May 2015.

2) Hearing event with panel and social media discussion on 20 May 2015, 9:30-12:00 at Minerva-tori, University of Helsinki

The hearing event at Minerva-tori, held mainly in Finnish, will host a panel of experts from different fields of research, who will discuss and try to find possible solutions to the issues raised during the pre-hearing round. There will be a live audience at the event. The audience members will be encouraged to raise their own views and challenge the ones presented by the panel members. A live online stream and a social media wall at the Minerva-tori help to make the event truly inclusive, interactive and dynamic. The different arguments and ideas will play an important role in the future activities and priorities of the Open Science and Research initiative.

For more information on the Open Science and Research hearings please contact jessica.parland-vonessen[a]csc.fi